In less than half a century, we have learned so much about the force of gravity, the Earth, and the universe we live in. We’ve gone from a time when the idea of space travel was just that, an idea, to the present, when man has landed on the Moon and rovers have explored Mars.
It’s interesting to think about some of the predictions that were made in the past, and to compare those predictions with reality. For example, in the 19th century Jules Verne wrote a novel called Around the Moon. He thought that a traveler flying in space wouldn’t experience the pull of gravity! Little did he know his prediction, which was once only fiction, is now fact. In space everything becomes weightless! Ever since that book was published, the image of astronauts floating effortlessly through their space ships has inspired many people.Another example is the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, written by Arthur C. Clarke. This book explored the topic of space travel, and also described a scientifically accurate artificial gravity system. Today, systems very similar to those in Clarke’s novel are being developed for use in space!
Do the creative artists of the present really have the ability to foretell the future? Maybe, maybe not. However, it makes science fiction all the more interesting when you think that perhaps the imaginary technology described in these novels may one day be real. Humans always seem to rise to their imagination. From fiction to fact, mankind’s control over the force of gravity has the potential to revolutionize our world.
